Monday is car-free day in downtown Helsinki

This week is European Mobility Week, and participating cities will be turning their attention to sustainable transport issues. Helsinki is one of 2,000 cities taking part, and Monday September 22nd is a Car-Free Day in the city centre.
      The entire area north and south of the Esplanade Park will become a pedestrian precinct for the day.
     
The Helsinki branch of Friends of the Earth is also arranging a “Critical Bike Ride”, which will start from the Havis Amanda statue in the Market Square from 5 p.m.
      The route takes in some of the most difficult streets - from the cyclist’s perspective - in the downtown area, mostly outside the no-car zone.
      Anders Backström, one of the organisers, expects at least 100 cyclists to be taking part, if the weather remains good as forecast.
      This year and last similar bike excursions have been arranged on a monthly basis from April to October, and always over the same route through Kamppi, Töölö, the Railway Station area, Kallio, and Kruununhaka.
     
The area around the two Esplanades will become a pedestrian zone from 7:00-20:00 today.
      All street parking places will be off-limits except for residential parking zones or parking spots for the disabled.
      Access to parking garages, customer parking at stores, and for deliveries will be permitted along certain designated routes.
     
Tickets on public transport are discounted today.
      Single internal fares within Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa are EUR 1.00 for adults and EUR 0.50 for children.
      Other tickets are priced according to the zones covered, and will be in use from 04:30 until the night tariff services come into effect tonight.
      There will be stands set up along the northern of the two Esplanades, with Helsinki City Transport, the Metropolitan Area Council, Liikenneturva (the central organisation for Finnish traffic safety work), and the city's parking officials among those presenting their work. A parking-related competition will offer the chance to win a foldable bike, and is also intended to  encourage people better to make use of park-and-ride services.  


Links:
  European Mobility Week
  Helsinki Autoton päivä, 22.9.2008 (in Finnish)
  Parking in Helsinki
  Friends of the Earth Finland